PMK leader released from Tamil Nadu prison

Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu), Nov 30 (IANS) Senior PMK leader “Kaduvetti” Guru was released Sunday from the central prison here, party officials said.Guru’s release from the prison in Tiruchirappalli, situated 300 km from state capital Chennai, followed the cancellation of his detention under the National Security Act by the state government and grant of bail to him by a local court last week.

Guru’s arrest in June on charges of making inflammatory statements against the DMK and in a case of attempt to murder a political functionary had coincided with the PMK’s ouster from the Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA).

Decks have more or less been cleared for the party’s re-entry into the DPA, headed by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, currently comprising the ruling DMK, the Congress and VCK, PMK officials added.

The PMK has 18 legislators in the 235-member state assembly which has a current strength of 233 legislators.

If the PMK decides to return to the DPA fold, the DMK regime with 95 legislators supported by 35 lawmakers of the Congress and a sole VCK member, the numbers of the elected representatives extending the government external support would go up to 54.